BrutusBobcat
Icon and Entertainer
Given the quality of the Big Ten this year, it seems like this is the best chance the conference has had yet to win this thing. Here's the full list of matchups:
#2 (for now) Michigan State at #12 UNC - MSU wins this one if it's in East Lansing, though they still have a good shot at it in Chapel Hill. I love MSU's experience against the still fawn-like Carolina. Unfortunately, we helped the Tar Heels tune up.
Should be a great game and a must-watch.
Florida State at #18 OSU - A must-win for the conference. The Schott isn't the rowdiest basketball arena in the land, but Ohio State still plays well at home and has the advantage of having played two highly ranked teams. With as sharp as OSU is playing, and with Buford and Lighty now hitting some threes, it's hard to not see Ohio State as favorites to win this one.
Wake Forest at #6 Purdue - This is the most lopsided advantage in the Big Ten's favor in the tournament. Purdue will enter the game as the highest ranked team in the conference, gets to play at home in a loud arena, and does so against a team unlikely to finish in the top half of the ACC. If there's a guaranteed win for anyone in this tournament, this is it.
Boston College at #15 Michigan - Another pairing of an unranked ACC school playing at a ranked Big Ten school. These three are absolute must-wins if the Big Ten is going to break through in the Challenge. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe that Michigan isn't completely overrated (chant it with me "Just like football!" *clap* *clap* *clapclapclap*), and they'll be out of the top 25 by game time. It makes my blood boil to even consider rooting for Michigan, so I won't do it. I'll just point out that BC already has losses to Northern Iowa and St. Joe's on their docket, that the game is in Ann Arbor is a whore, and that TSUN puts a lot more talent on the floor, so you may freely root for BC knowing that they'll probably lose anyway. At least you won't feel dirty.
Virginia at Penn State - Who are Penn State? Who are Virginia? No one knows. Either team could be on the bubble in March, or they could meet for a rematch of this game in the Not Important Tournament. This game appears to kick off the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on Monday. I won't even pretend to know (or care) a thing about either team, which is unfortunate, since it's one of the home wins the conference needs. I'll just cross my fingers and hope for a white out, a rail, lots of lion roars and drunken Penn State fans throwing things at innocent visiting Virginians.
#16 Minnesota at Miami - Unbeaten Miami may currently be a little underrated, though their schedule has been so soft, it's hard to evaluate. Minnesota gets one less day of rest, since they play a pretty good Texas A&M tonight in the 76 Classic, which should be a good indicator of where they are. The Big Ten needs this to be one of several road wins.
#7 Duke at Wisconsin - Probably the worst mismatch of the Challenge. The B11 has a puncher's chance here, since it's in Madison, but that's about it.
#21 Illinois at #19 Clemson - This is one of the pivotal games, along with FSU at Ohio State. How Illinois plays after dropping two straight is key; they won't be ranked by game time, and they will either prove that the conference is as deep as everyone claimed, or bring that into question. Looking ahead to March, this is going to be a game that could either knock Illini off of the bubble or help get them into the tournament.
#22 Maryland at Indiana - Another really bad matchup for the conference, but at least it's going to be at a tough place to play. Just like Wisconsin, home court plus an excellent head coach gives them a puncher's chance at an upset.
Northwestern at NC State - 5-1 with a win over Notre Dame and a loss to Butler makes the Wildcats a bit of a pleasant surprise in a stacked conference. Their resume is better than Illinois right now, and they get one more day of rest than NC State. NCSU hasn't scored a lot of points in any of their wins, and their best win is over a decidedly mediocre Auburn by 2. This is a nice pairing between evenly matched teams. I'm not counting on it, since it's on the road, but if we get this or the Illinois game, it's going to be our Challenge.
Virginia Tech at Iowa - It's hard to believe anything good about Iowa at this point. 2-4 with a "marquee" win being over a MAC school. VT needed overtime to beat Delaware, but Iowa probably isn't that good. Just count this as a loss.
So, through my Big Ten colored glasses (what are they? Blue, like the networks uses?), I see two highly probable wins - Ohio State and Purdue, and two highly probably losses - Iowa and Indiana. Wisconsin is a probable loss, Michigan is a probable win. Of the five remaining games, I'd give Penn State and Minnesota a nod, along with Clemson, and call Michigan State's game a toss up along with Northwestern's. Splitting the toss ups, and going with the nods, that's a 6-5 win for the Big Ten.
Now let's just not get killed 8-3.
#2 (for now) Michigan State at #12 UNC - MSU wins this one if it's in East Lansing, though they still have a good shot at it in Chapel Hill. I love MSU's experience against the still fawn-like Carolina. Unfortunately, we helped the Tar Heels tune up.
Should be a great game and a must-watch.Florida State at #18 OSU - A must-win for the conference. The Schott isn't the rowdiest basketball arena in the land, but Ohio State still plays well at home and has the advantage of having played two highly ranked teams. With as sharp as OSU is playing, and with Buford and Lighty now hitting some threes, it's hard to not see Ohio State as favorites to win this one.
Wake Forest at #6 Purdue - This is the most lopsided advantage in the Big Ten's favor in the tournament. Purdue will enter the game as the highest ranked team in the conference, gets to play at home in a loud arena, and does so against a team unlikely to finish in the top half of the ACC. If there's a guaranteed win for anyone in this tournament, this is it.
Boston College at #15 Michigan - Another pairing of an unranked ACC school playing at a ranked Big Ten school. These three are absolute must-wins if the Big Ten is going to break through in the Challenge. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe that Michigan isn't completely overrated (chant it with me "Just like football!" *clap* *clap* *clapclapclap*), and they'll be out of the top 25 by game time. It makes my blood boil to even consider rooting for Michigan, so I won't do it. I'll just point out that BC already has losses to Northern Iowa and St. Joe's on their docket, that the game is in Ann Arbor is a whore, and that TSUN puts a lot more talent on the floor, so you may freely root for BC knowing that they'll probably lose anyway. At least you won't feel dirty.
Virginia at Penn State - Who are Penn State? Who are Virginia? No one knows. Either team could be on the bubble in March, or they could meet for a rematch of this game in the Not Important Tournament. This game appears to kick off the Big Ten-ACC Challenge on Monday. I won't even pretend to know (or care) a thing about either team, which is unfortunate, since it's one of the home wins the conference needs. I'll just cross my fingers and hope for a white out, a rail, lots of lion roars and drunken Penn State fans throwing things at innocent visiting Virginians.
#16 Minnesota at Miami - Unbeaten Miami may currently be a little underrated, though their schedule has been so soft, it's hard to evaluate. Minnesota gets one less day of rest, since they play a pretty good Texas A&M tonight in the 76 Classic, which should be a good indicator of where they are. The Big Ten needs this to be one of several road wins.
#7 Duke at Wisconsin - Probably the worst mismatch of the Challenge. The B11 has a puncher's chance here, since it's in Madison, but that's about it.
#21 Illinois at #19 Clemson - This is one of the pivotal games, along with FSU at Ohio State. How Illinois plays after dropping two straight is key; they won't be ranked by game time, and they will either prove that the conference is as deep as everyone claimed, or bring that into question. Looking ahead to March, this is going to be a game that could either knock Illini off of the bubble or help get them into the tournament.
#22 Maryland at Indiana - Another really bad matchup for the conference, but at least it's going to be at a tough place to play. Just like Wisconsin, home court plus an excellent head coach gives them a puncher's chance at an upset.
Northwestern at NC State - 5-1 with a win over Notre Dame and a loss to Butler makes the Wildcats a bit of a pleasant surprise in a stacked conference. Their resume is better than Illinois right now, and they get one more day of rest than NC State. NCSU hasn't scored a lot of points in any of their wins, and their best win is over a decidedly mediocre Auburn by 2. This is a nice pairing between evenly matched teams. I'm not counting on it, since it's on the road, but if we get this or the Illinois game, it's going to be our Challenge.
Virginia Tech at Iowa - It's hard to believe anything good about Iowa at this point. 2-4 with a "marquee" win being over a MAC school. VT needed overtime to beat Delaware, but Iowa probably isn't that good. Just count this as a loss.
So, through my Big Ten colored glasses (what are they? Blue, like the networks uses?), I see two highly probable wins - Ohio State and Purdue, and two highly probably losses - Iowa and Indiana. Wisconsin is a probable loss, Michigan is a probable win. Of the five remaining games, I'd give Penn State and Minnesota a nod, along with Clemson, and call Michigan State's game a toss up along with Northwestern's. Splitting the toss ups, and going with the nods, that's a 6-5 win for the Big Ten.
Now let's just not get killed 8-3.
